Self-cleaning shower head



May 17, 1960 5. J. SHAMES ETAL SELF-CLEANING SHOWER HEAD Filed Oct. 7

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United States PatentO SELF-CLEANING SHOWER HEAD Sidney J. Shames and Harold Sharnes, Ardsley, N. Application October 7, 1958, Serial No. 765,829 12 Claims. (Cl. 239-109) This invention relates to a shower head and more particularly to a self-flushing shower head.

Shower heads have heretofore been constructed for the purpose of effecting flushing of liquid-borne debris from the head. However, all such prior commercial Thus, it is another object of this invention to provide a self-cleaning shower head wherein the downstream portion of the shower head is of a dimension in the range of the coupling which connects the casing to the source of liquid. 7

A further object of this invention is to provide a selfcleaning shower head wherein the internal parts thereof are of such simplified construction as to permit a simplified assembly of said internal parts through the inlet end of the shower head casing.

Another problem incident to shower head construction is to avoid water drip from the shower head after the water has been shut off.

Thus, still another object of this invention is to provide aself-cleaningshower head which also operates to prevent water drip therefrom after the source of Water has been turned oif.

In our simplified construction, the self-cleaning shower head has a substantially cylindrical one-piece casing with a-self-cleaning jet-forming cartridge assembled thereinto through the upstream end of the casing, thereby provid-, ing a simple and efiective device which is characterized by its cleanness of design, simplicity of assembly, and inexpensiveness of construction. Wherefore, it is still a further object of this invention to provide an improvedself-cleaning shower head which is so characterized by cleanness of design, simplicity of assembly, and inexpensiveness of construction. r e

. Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming partof this specification.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

' Figure l is a vertical axial cross-section view of a selfcleaning shower head constructed in accordance with this invention, and showing the jet-forming means thereof in retracted position when no wateris flowing through the shower head. Figure 2 "is a fragmentz'u'y view of the lower portion "iied construction of self-cleaning shower head.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 2 showing the jet-forming means of Figure 5 in position for delivering shower streams.

Figure 7 is a cross-section view of the jet-forming head of Figures 5 and 6, and is taken substantially on line 7--7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-section view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 one form of a self-cleaning shower head, generally indicated at 10, and constructed. in accordance with the teachings of this invention. The shower head 10 includes a ball member generally indicated at B, a coupling nut generally indicated at N, and a shower head casing generally indicated at C. The ball member B is shaped to define a female-threaded coupling portion 12, and a ball portion 14 whose outer dimension is larger than the maximum outer dimension of coupling portion 12. While coupling portion 12 is generally cylindrical, the outer wall of coupling portion 12 is provided, desirably, with a pair of diametrically disposed flats which afford convenient means for gripping the coupling portion 12 with a tool, during the assembly of the shower head It) to the discharge end of a pipe.

' i The ball portion 14 has an axial bore 16 therethrough which is of reduced size relative to the threaded opening in coupling portion 12, so that the bore 16 will be substantially of the same size as the internal diameter of a pipe to which the coupling portion 12 is to be connected. The lower end of the ball portion 14 is shaped to define a jet-forming constriction 18 which effects a constriction 17 in the size of the axial bore 16 at the outlet end of bore 16. r The coupling nut N has a cylindrical wall portion 20 and an inwardly extending annular flange 22 at the upper end thereof. The inner dimension of flange 22 is larger than the maximum outer dimension of the coupling portion 12, but is smaller than the outer dimension of ball 14. This permits the coupling nut N to be assembled onto the ball B, and the flange 22 acts to engage the ball 14 to define a universal connection and support therebetween. The inner surface of cylindrical wall 20 is female-threaded at 24 for connection to the casing C.

The casing C is elongated and is generally tubular in appearance and is of substantially uniform external dimension along its entire length. The casing C is provided with male threads 26 at its upstream end, adapted for cooperation with threads 24 on coupling nut N, and with an annular inturned flange 28 at its downstream end which defines the outlet opening of the casing. The elongated shower head casing C, along its entire length, is of no diametral dimension greater than the diameter of the coupling nut N to which it connects, thereby providing a very" neat shower head construction which avoids the appearance of bulkiness which is normally found in existing'constructions having self-cleaning features.

The inner surface'of the shower head casing C is shaped to define a first annular shoulder 30 adjacent the upstream end of the casing, a second annular shoulder 32 spaced downstream of the first annular shoulder andv being of smaller diameter than the first shoulder 30, and

a thirdannular shoulder 34, on the upstream side'of to sealingly engage the spherical surface of the ball portion 14.

Positioned wholly within the axial confines of casing C 18 a shower-jet-forming cartridge generally indicated at 40 which is arranged to be selectively assembled through,

and tobe removed from, the open upstream end of the casing C. The cartridge 40 is adapted to be supported on the second annular shoulder 32, and there is provided a ring-receiving recess 41, on the inner Wall of casing C, spaced above shoulder 32 and adapted to removably receive and frictionally hold therein a snap ring 4-2 for the purpose of retaining the cartridge iti in assembled relation on the shoulder 32.

The shower-jet-forming cartridge 4% includes an annular, apertured plate 44 which is of a size adapted to be seated on annular shoulder 32 and which is of a thickness such that the snap ring 42 acts to clamp said annular plate 44 against said shoulder 32. The plate 44 has a plurality of annularly disposed water-flow apertures 46 therethrough. The plate 44 has a central opening therethrough, and plate 44 is shaped to define a central aligning sleeve 48 which extends upstream from plate 44 and axially relative to said central opening of plate 44. An elongated stem 56 is slidably positioned within sleeve 48 for vertical reciprocal movement through said central opening of plate 44. The upper end of stem 50 is pro vided with abutment means in the form of head 52 which extends laterally outwardly of the main body of stem 50. A coiled compression spring 54 acts to normally bias stem 50 toward the position of Figure 1 and is located concentrically of stem 50 with the lower end of spring 54 engaging plate 44 inwardly of apertures 46, and the upper end of-spring 54 engaging the laterally extending head 52. The spring 54 fits snugly about sleeve 48, which thereby serves to laterally restrain spring 54 in its assembled position. When stem 50 is in its uppermost position shown in Figure 1, it is also in spaced, facingrelation with the jet-forming constriction 17 at the downstream end of ball portion 14, and is adapted to receive thereagainst the jet stream which issues from ball B when water is turned on.

The stem 50 is bored and tapped at 56 through its downstream end and is also formed with a shoulder 58 which is of reduced size relative to the main portion of stem 50. An annular jet-forming, cylindrical disc 60 is provided having a stepped recess 62, for aligning and centering cooperation with shoulder 58 on stem 50. The downstream side of disc 60 has a beveled, countersunk, aperture 64 for receipt therein of the beveled head of a flat-head screw member 66 whose stem cooperates with the tapped bore 56 of stem 50 to assemble the stem 50 and the disc 60 in rigid relation.

The cylindrical rim, or edge, of disc 60 is grooved to partially define two sets of axially extending jet-forming grooves 68 and 70. The sets of grooves are arranged in alternating relation with each other, as can best be seen in Figure 4. Each groove 68 is cut so that the inner Wall 69 thereof is at one angle with respect to the axis of stem Stkwhile the inner wall 51 of each groove 70 is at a steeper angle with respect to the axis of stem 50. The walls 69 and 71slope, axially downstreamand outwardly, preferably at angles of 4 and 11 respectively to the axis of the shower head, so that jets of water issuing from the grooves -68 and 70 will be directed conically outwardly in a pair of diverging cones, giving a divergent double-cone spray.

Returning now to the flange 28 on casing C, said flange.

' is beveled on its upper and lower sides to form an inner 4 jet against the upper end of stem 50 effects an initial depression of stem 50 against the bias of spring 54 and the force of water issuing through apertures 46 against the upper imperforate side of disc 60 effects downward movement of disc 60 to the position shown in Figure 2, wherein the downstream end of disc 60 extends through the rim 29. When in the position of Figure 2, disc 60 cooperates with rim 29 which serves to complete the formation of jet-forming apertures with the open-edged grooves 68 and 70.

The upper side of disc 60 is absolutely flat so that when in the position of Figure 1 it engages the downstream side of plate 44. The arrangement of grooves 68 and 76 is such, relative to the arrangement of liquid-flow apertures 46 in plate 44, that the grooves 68 and 70 are offset outwardly with respect to apertures 46. In other words, the apertures 46 are located in an area bounded by a circle disposed inwardly of the jet-forming grooves 68 and 70, so that when the disc 60 is spring biased to its uppermost position, shown in Figure 1, it operates to completely shut 013? any flow of water through apertures 46 thereby preventing drip from the shower head after the water has been turned ofi.

There is provided an abutment means for limiting movement of the disc 60 through the rim 29 of the inturned flange 28. The abutment means shown in Figures 1 and Z'includes a ring 72 of brass, or the like, which is press-fit over the edge of disc 60. The disc 60, while it may be constructed of almost any material, is preferably of a deposit-resistant plastic, such as a phenolic resin, which inhibits the formation, or disposition thereon, of water-borne metallic salts. In actual use, the commercial Bakelite has proven successful. The use of a plastic disc 60 also helps to elfect a good seal between disc 60 and plate 44 to prevent drip flow through aperture 46. While such plastics have the desirable quality of inhibiting such deposits, they have the undesirable quality of swelling slightly in the presence of water. The ring 72 of Figures 1 and 2 thus performs two functions, one as an abutment toengage the annular shoulder 34 on flange 28, and the other serving as a relatively non-expandable means to prevent swelling of disc 60 to a size that would prevent proper telescoping entry of disc 60 through rim 29. The downstream end of ring 72 is appropriately sloped for good seating engagement with shoulder 34 .on flange 28.

In the modified form of construction shown in Figures 5 and 6, there are a number of variants embodied in both the casing and in the shower-jet-forming cartridge. The

variants may each be used individually in combination with the other elements shown in the first form of device and need not be used in combination with each other, but .for convenience all the variants are shown in a single assemblage. In the figures showing the modified form, parts corresponding with those shown in Figures 1 to 4 are given the same reference number with a prime added. Specifically, in Figures 5 and 6 the casing C has an inturned flange 28' which is beveled only on its upper side to provide a third annular shoulder 34 but which has a flat unbeveled outer edge 2811. This provides an inher rim 29' oil-flange 28' of greater axial extent as compared with that shown in Figure '1.

With respect to the variants in cartridge 40, the disc 44f is formed with larger liquid-flow apertures 46'. The stem 50 is provided with an annular, outwardly extending, shoulder 50a which is located inwardly of head 52' and which is of an axial length designed to engage the upper edge of sleeve 48', so as to serve as abutment means for limiting downstream movement of the disc 60', as can be'seen in Figure 6. The disc 60 is cylindrical and is formed of a relatively non-swelling material, as it is not peripherally restrained as is disc 60 shown in Figures ,1' and 2. The-disc 60' has a beveled peripheral edge 60a at its lower end which helps to align disc 60' with inwardly extending flange 28' for telescoping entry therein when the disc moves from the position of Figure 5 to the position of Figure 6.. The greater axial length of rim 29' cooperates with the edge grooves 68' and-70' of the disc. 60 to provide an-increased length of fully formed flow apertures which results inthe discharge of more fully directed streams.

In the form of device shown in Figures 5 and 6, the grooves 68' and 70 align with apertures 46 when the disc 60' is in raised position, thereby permitting drainage of water from the space above plate 44. -Howcver, since the size of grooves 68 and 70' is much less than the size of apertures 46, the disc 60'fstill presents considerable surface extending across the outlet end of apertures 46, and the force of water passing through apertures 46' still operates to effect movement of disc 60' from the position of Figure 5 to that of Figure 6.

It will beunderstood that the movement of discs 60 and 60' from their positions of spray discharge to retracted positions operates to dislodge any debris that may be lodged between the telescoping parts, and the flow of liquid then serves to flush out such debris and also washes over the cooperating edges of the disc and over the edges of the casing fiange28, thus serving to maintain said parts free from accumulations of water-borne debris, and thereby effecting a self-cleaning of. the jetforming portions of the shower head.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art'that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention'and, therefore, it-is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim as new. and desire to secure by Letter Patent of the United States is:

1. A self-cleaning shower head comprising, in combination, a ball member having a bore therethrough and' adapted for connection to a source of liquid under pressure; a coupling nut on said ball providing a universal connection thereto; an elongated, tubular,shower-head casing connected at its upstream end to said coupling nut, for movement therewith relative to said ball, said showerhead casing being of substantially uniform external dimension along its entire length and having an inturned flange at its downstream end, said elongated showerhead casing having a diametral dimension, along its entire length, which is less than the dimension of the coupling nut to which it connects, the inner periphery of said shower-head casing defining a first annular shoulder adjacent the upstream end of the casing, sealing gasket means on said first annular shoulder engaging said ball member to effect sealing therebetween, and a second annular shoulder spaced downstream of said first annular shoulder and upstream of said inturned flange and being of smaller diameter than said first shoulder; and a'selfcleaning shower-jet-forming cartridge arranged to be selectively assembled through, or be removed from, the

open upstream end of said casing, said cartridge com- I first annular shoulder and of larger diameter than said second annular shoulder, seated on said second annular shoulder, a snap ring frictionally engaging the inner wall of said casing and clamping said annular plate against said second shoulder, an, elongated stem disposed coaxially in said casing and being slidably positioned in the central aperture of said annular plate and extending therethrough, abutment means at the upstream end of said stem, a coil spring concentric with said stem and abutting said abutment means at one end and theannular plate at the other end to normally bias said stem upstrearn,and a shower-jet-forming disc carried on the downstream end of said stem and disposed downstream of said annular plate.

2. A self-cleaning shower head comprising, in combination, a. ball-member having a bore therethiough adapted for connection to a source of liquid under pressure, said'ball member being shaped to define a jet-forming constriction at the downstream end of said bore ther'ethrough; a coupling nut on said ball providing a universal connection thereto; an elongated, tubular, shower-head casing connected at its upstream end to said coupling'nut for movement therewith relative to said ball, said shower-head casing being of substantially uniform external dimension along its entire length and having an annularinturned flange at its downstream end, said elongated shower-head casing having a diametral dimension, along its'entire length which is less than the diameter of the coupling nut to which it connects, the inner periphery of said shower head vcasing defining a first annular shoulder adjacent the upstream end of the casing, sealing gasket means on said'first annular shoulder engaging said ball member toelfect sealing therebetween, a second annular shoulder spaced downstream of said first annular shoulder and of smaller diameter than said first shoulder, and a third annular shouldervformed on said inturned flange of the casing downstream of said first and second shoulders and-being of smaller diameter than both said firs'tand second shoulders; and a self-cleaning shower jet-forming 'cartridge arranged to be selectively as'sem bl'ed through, or be removed from, the open upstream end'of said casing, said cartridge comprising an annular, apertured, plate, of smaller diameterthan sa'id first annular shoulder and of 'larger' diameter than said second annular shoulder, seated on said second annular shoul der, a snap ring frictionally engaging the inner wall of said casing and clamping said annular plate against said second shoulder, an elongated stern disposed co-axially in said casing and being slidably positioned in the central aperture of said annular plate and extending therethrough, abutment means at the upstream end of said stem, a 'coil spring concentric with said stem and abutting said abutment means at one end and the annular plate at the other end to normally bias said stem upstream so that the upstream end of said stem is in spaced, facing, relation with the jet-forming constriction at the I downstream end of said ball member, a shower-jet-forming disc carried on the downstream end of said stem and disposed downstream of said annular. plate, said disc being movable downstream, under force of liquid entering the casing through the bored ball, to a position entering into a discharge aperture surrounded by said annular inturned flange on said casing, and cooperating therewith to define shower-jet-forming means, and abutment means carried by said disc for engagement with said third shoulder on the inturned flange to limit downstream movement of said disc.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 including abutment means carried by said movable elements, which includes said disc and stem, for limiting downstream movement of said disc.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said disc has a plurality of jet-forming grooves defined in the edge thereof, and wherein said annular plate has a plurality of liquid-flow apertures therethrough located in an area bounded by a circle disposed inwardly of the jet-forming grooves'in the jet-forming disc, so that when said disc is in its upstream position, spring biased against said plate, it operates to shut off liquid flow through said apertures in said plate.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said disc is formed of a deposit-resistant plastic, and wherein said annular plate has a plurality of liquid-flow apertures therethrough against which the plastic disc is normally biased by the said spring to effect limitation of drip of liquid from said shower head when not in use.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said disc has a substantially cylindrical periphery and wherein said cylindrical periphery has a plurality of axially extending grooves formed therein having groove walls '7 which taper downstream and outwardly to produce a comically divergent shower spray.

7 A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said disc has a :substantially cylindrical periphery and wherein said cylindrical periphery has a plurality of axially extending grooves formed therein having groove walls which taper downstream and outwardly to produce a conically divergent shower spray, and the plurality of ooves being divided into two sets with alternate grooves belonging to a set, and the degree of taper of the groove walls of one set diifering from that of the other set to produce a divergent double-cone spray.

8. A device as set forth in claim 1 including an axially elongated aligning sleeve on said plate extending upstream thereof and having the said stem slidably extending 1therethrough and cooperating therewith to maintain maiing alignment of the disc with said discharge aperture defined by the inturned flange on the casing.

9. A device as set forth in claim 1 including an axially elongated aligning sleeve on said plate extending upstream thereof and having the said stem slidably extending therethrough and cooperating therewith to maintain mating alignment of the disc with said discharge aperture defined by the inturned flange on the casing, and abutment means for limiting downstream movement of said disc including a shoulder on said stern positioned to engage the upstream terminus of said aligning sleeve.

10; A device as set forth in claim 2 including an annularelement carried by said disc and positioned to engage said third annular shoulder on the casing to limit downstream movement of said disc.

11. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said disc is formed .of a deposit-resistant plastic, and including a relatively non-expandable ring press fit onto an upstream peripheralportion of the plastic disc and cooperating with said plastic disc to limit swelling thereof; to maintain telescoping cooperation .of the downstream periphery of the disc with the inturned flange of the casing, and said ring cooperating with the said third shoulder formed on the inturned casing flange to limit downstream movement of said disc.

12. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said disc is cylindrical and formed of a deposit-resistant plastic, and including a relatively non-expandable ring press fit onto an upstream peripheral portion of the plastic disc and cooperating with said plastic disc to limit swelling thereof, tomaintain telescoping cooperation of the downstream periphery of the disc with the inturned flange of the casing, and said ring cooperating with the said third shoulder formed on the inturned casing flange to limit downstream movement of said disc, and the cylindrical periphery of said disc having a plurality of axially extending grooves formed therein and having groove walls which taper downwardly and outwardly to produce a conically divergent shower spray,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

